When Eastenders actress Natalie Cassidy trained as a care worker in the BBC series Caring Together, she was mentored by Amy Cotterill. Emily Whitehouse spoke to her about her experience in the sector and working with the film crew.
Image: Natalie and Amy
I’d go as far as saying television is what inspired me to pursue a career in writing, Fleabag in particular. There’s an endless list of reasons I love the show, one being it produced the quote: ‘People are all we’ve got’.
This is said by Belinda Friers after Fleabag remarks, during a casual drink at a bar, that most people are useless. The truth is, some people are extraordinary, especially carers. Where would we be without those who choose to dedicate their careers to caring for society’s most vulnerable?
That is why, when news broke that Eastenders star Natalie Cassidy was fronting a new BBC documentary in which she trains as a carer, I knew it was a story I wanted to cover.
Amy Cotterill, a care worker at Galanos House, mentored Cassidy during filming. Here, she talks to us about her own role in care and what it was like working with Cassidy at Poppy Lodge, a residential dementia home.
Have you always had your heart set on working in the care sector?
I was inspired by my mum. From a young age I saw her working in the health and social care sector and took inspiration from how rewarding it could be to support individuals and how much you could give back to the community.
Image: Natalie and Amy working at Poppy Lodge
I thought I’d see how it felt for me to do it and I can confirm that it is really rewarding and I wouldn’t want to do any other role.
How long have you been in your current role?
I’ve been working at Galanos House for five years. I first started as a care assistant on the nursing floor and supported individuals who needed end of life and palliative care. Then, with support from my senior management team, I became a wellbeing assistant and gave support to individuals throughout the home including, nursing care, dementia care and residential care.
Then, last year, I was promoted to be the daycare supervisor. Now I provide support for individuals in the community that are looking for daily respite and support transitioning into the main home – Poppy Lodge.
It sounds like you’ve had a lot of experience over the last five years, are there any particular highlights?
My highlight would be seeing the difference you make to somebody’s life on a day-to-day basis. Giving someone the opportunity to take part in an activity or an outing is really amazing. No two days are the same here and I just think it’s so special seeing what a difference you can make.
In contrast, what are the biggest challenges you face in your role?
Supporting families and my team with grief is quite difficult because grief can be so challenging itself, so supporting others through it can be really hard.
The health and social care sector is trying to attract more recruits, what advice would you give to someone looking to become a carer?
I would say that there’s so much more to care than people may think. There’s a big stigma around what care has to offer, but it’s such a rewarding role to support individuals who really need it. It’s not just providing them with personal care, it’s providing them with support through their day-to-day, living through personalised activities, helping with their shopping, that kind of thing.
There’s a whole range of things we can do to help, so I think it’s just important for people to take on the role and they can see how it makes a difference.
Speaking of people stepping into the role, you recently mentored Natalie Cassidy as she experienced life as a carer for a new BBC documentary. What was it like working with the film crew?
It was very different to what I imagined actually, especially working with Natalie. Because she’s a celebrity, I didn’t know what to expect but she was so down to earth. I had an amazing time being able to showcase what the Royal British Legion is all about, what Galanos has to offer and the person-centred care that we provide at Poppy Lodge.
Image: Filming for the series Natalie Cassidy: Caring Together
I mentored Natalie during her time at Poppy Lodge and she just jumped straight in. I think it’s lovely because she really appreciated the work we provide here – she actually helped look after her father when he was dying.
I didn’t actually know much about Natalie, so it was great to get to know more about her. I’m not really an EastEnders or soap opera girl, I maybe watched a couple of episodes when I was younger, so I did have an idea of who she was.
The film crew were also lovely; they made you feel really at ease. When they were filming, it didn’t feel like you had a massive camera in your face, you just felt like: I’m in my comfortable zone and I’m doing what I do best and want to show people what I love.
How did it feel seeing yourself on screen for the first time?
I was very anxious to see myself on screen for the first time, but I was also proud of seeing what I’ve showcased and highlighting the importance of carers like me, on what we do.
It was all quite surreal. It didn’t feel real until the lead up and then it’s like okay, you’re on TV next week, and you have all these interviews. When all the cameras are there, you kind of forget you’re going to be in a documentary, because they make it all feel very easy.
I’ve seen some pictures of behind the scenes and loved the one of you and Natalie in matching pyjamas. What’s the story behind it?
So, during that time I was explaining to Natalie how we support our individuals living at Poppy Lodge and how we associate the nighttime from the daytime. We change into pyjamas to help reassure them of what time of day it is. Us being dressed for bed helps residents know it is the evening, it is time for rest, time to wind down with a cup of tea.
Image: Amy and Natalie in their PJs
Sometimes, with dementia, your times of day can differ, so residents can believe it’s morning, when it’s actually nine o’clock in the evening.
How did you get chosen to be Natalie’s mentor?
I was approached by Joanne, our head matron at Galanos House, as she believed I would be a good advocate to show what we do at Poppy Lodge. Senior Management had recently supported me through my NVQ level three – I’ve just qualified as a level three in adult social care, so really there was no better time to show off my skills.
What do you hope your future in the care sector looks like?
I hope to progress in my roles, and I’d love to stay with the Royal British Legion at Galanos House, hopefully one day becoming more senior in management roles.
I just think I’m so passionate about supporting others, I’d like to see myself progressing in those roles to support more people in the industry.
Images: Royal British Legion/BBC
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